Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-21
SELF-SUPPORTING.
Batss Say the b. a o. Telegraph was .
Paying Institution.

Batss say the b. q o. Telegraph was Q
Paying Institution.
NEW YORK, October 20.-Ex-President
D. H. Bites, of the Baltimore and Ohio
Telegraph Company, remarked yesterday
that the published statements about the
mileage earnings and traffic of the COM
pany did not tell the whole story. he
said:
For instance, while the mileage owned
by the Baltimore & Ohio Company was
$4,000 miles Of wire, the capacity Of that
mileage was larger than the actual figures
shown, because Of the fact that the mile.
age consisted Of larger proportion Of cop
per wire and large guage iron wire, than
was the Gaze with any competing previous
ly ABSORBED by the Western Union, there
being about 5000 miles of copper wire and
l3, 900 mills Of No 6guage iron; the copper
and No. . guage iron wire were mainly
used for qpadruplex circuits the use of the
quadruplek having given the Baltimore and
Ohio Company $1,000 additional miles of
what is known as phantom wire. The
mileage of the Baltimore and Ohio Com
pany, being largely between the large trade
centers, IT. was feasible to quadruplex a
much lTlt - Ts5 Ais--.-ef. tlg ri sS1 =.
is the case with the Western Union. The
Baltimore and Ohio owned nearly seventy
patents on the quadruplex and printing
teiegraphs, which were Of great value to
an independent system, but which will be
of even greater value to the Western Union
Company as filling in important links in
Western Union patents"
''Mr. Bates, is it true that your company
was operated at large loss to the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company as has
previously been stated by the Western
Union Officials?"
''No, SIR" Mr.. Bates emphatically re-
piled. "0n the contrary the Baltimore
and Ohio Telegraph Company for two
years and half, until last April, not
only paid its expenses out of receipts, but
had small balance remaining after hav-
ing paid the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company at the rate of nearly 500, 900
per annum for the use of wires and offices
on the Baltimore and Ohio roads, and for
the district call-box plants in the various
cities within the limits of the Baltimore
and Ohio system, besides paying for all
the instruments, battery and other tele-
graph supplies for the entire railroad train
service"
"Then it is not true that the Baltimore
and Ohio Telegraph was drain upon the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company"
''No, net for operating expenses, and not
at all except to the extent of about s., 000,- :
900 as stated in the railroad company's re-
ports, which amount was expended on CAP
ital account for the construction of Balti-
more and Ohio telegraph lines The ex-
penditure was originally contemplated by
Mr.. Garrett and has of course now been
more than repaid in the price obtained. "
"Do you think then, Mr.. Bates, that the
Western Union Company has obtained a
bargain?'
eyes, indeed; they have secured the
largest and greatest competing telegraph
system ever formed, one capable of hand
ling 100000 of kilograms per annum,
and at price less than One.quarter the
cost of the Western Union Company Of the
American Union property in 1881, allowing
for the difference in mileage and capacity
for traffic"